The Malibu Triathlon has been an annual event in Malibu for 37 years, according to their website. This year, its future is unclear due to a possible reroute and a missed deadline.
Typically, the bike leg of the triathlon starts and ends at the Zuma Beach underpass, connecting Pacific Coast Highway with Busch Drive. Due to debris from flooding this year and goby fish that came in with the water, the Department of Beaches & Harbors closed the underpass, meaning bikers cannot use it.
“I’m super excited for this year’s event,” said Scott Winsel, Super League Triathlon general manager. “But we have a bit of a challenge we are working through.”
Super League Triathlon acquired the Malibu Triathlon in 2020, Winsel said, and now the company plans and organizes the race.
To avoid the Zuma underpass for the bike leg of the race, Super League proposed a reroute for the course, Winsel said.
However, the proposal to reroute the course did not come to Malibu’s Planning Commission in time for the City to notify residents, Chair Skylar Peak said.
For an event of this degree to happen in Malibu, the City has to notify all residents of the event 32 days in advance, particularly for neighborhoods the route would affect, Peak said.
At Malibu’s Planning Commission meeting Sept. 18, Planning Commission members were split on the discussion. Two members — Vice Chair John Mazza and Commissioner Kraig Hill — voted to not move forward with the race because it was “breaking the law” to not notify residents of the route in time.
“We should be having this event,” Hill said. “But, we can’t now.”
The other two members — Peak and Commissioner Jeff Jennings — voted to hold the race, as it was a valuable event for the community.
“It is up to us [the Planning Commission] to do what is best for our community,” Peak said. “What is best is to move forward with this event.”
This 2-2 deadlocked vote means the appeal was not passed, and the event is canceled. Next, Malibu Triathlon needs to go before Malibu’s City Council for a final appeal to hold the race.
The triathlon raises money for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and has already raised nearly $1 millionthis year, and overall has raised more than $17 million throughout the years.
“I have witnessed the power of this triathlon to allow us to grow stronger together as a community,” said Pamela Ulrich, Malibu resident and former Malibu mayor.
Race Planning Director Brett Linder said he didn’t know what would happen with that money if the event got canceled.
The race organizers will give the City Council their final appeal Sept. 25, Mayor Bruce Silverstein wrote in a Sept. 21 email to the Graphic. Malibu Triathlon posted on Instagram they will notify the community of the final decision Sept. 26, in time for the race Sept. 30.
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Contact Abby Wilt via Twitter (@abby_wilt) or by email: abby.wilt@pepperdine.edu
